1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to Utensil Hangers, specifically to such utensils as kitchen cookware that is stored inside of conventional kitchen cabinets.
2. Background of Invention
Kitchen cabinet cookware and utensil storage has always been awkward, inefficient, and cumbersome. The problem of storing several different sized and shaped cookware and utensils inside cabinets has made their storage nearly impossible to do in a manner that is satisfactory for anyone who desires a neat and efficient kitchen. The problem of cookware storage has been compounded over the recent decades by the introduction and ubiquitous adaptation of non-stick cookware. This style of cookware utilizes Teflon as a non-stick surface between the cookware's metal surface and the food being cooked allowing the food to be easily removed from the cookware and ease it's cleaning. Teflon used in this manner has one major draw back; it is fragile and susceptible to damage from contact with metal utensils or the metal from other pots and pans. Teflon coated cookware also has exposed metal bottoms, sides and handles which when stacked upon each other inside of cabinets causes the damaging contact that can cause the Teflon to peal from the cooking surface thus eliminating Teflon as an advantage to the cookware.
One method of safe guarding the Teflon coating of non-stick cookware would be to not stacking the cookware in a manner that would allow metal to Teflon contact. This method of in cabinet storage would be an inefficient use of cabinet space, as each piece of cookware would need its own shelf area on the cabinet's shelves. Another alternative would be the use of a hanging cookware holder which would be mounted from the ceiling and hang in the kitchen exposed in the kitchen's open area. This method of cookware storage would leave the cookware exposed as well as consuming space in the kitchen that could be used for other purposes when the cookware is not needed. Cookware hanging in the kitchen and can be also an unsightly eyesore.
There have been several attempts in the past to help lesson the problem of kitchen cookware and utensil cabinet storage but none have so far been satisfactory for conveniently and neatly store these items.
3. Prior Art
There have been many attempts in the past to solve the problem of cookware and utensil storage in kitchens, and these attempts can be categorized into several types of devices invented.
The most popular device utilized for cookware and utensil storage is the hanging storage rack. These types of racks are most popular in larger kitchens where they can be hung in the open space of the kitchen thus taking up useful kitchen workspace. The cookware is also exposed creating an eyesore for most who desire a neat and clean kitchen. Most of these racks have been issued a Design patent since these racks have little or no unique features to produce unexpected results to warrant a Utility patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,531 issued Sep. 22, 1981 to Lazarus details a device for holding cooking pots and lids. The device does hang pots and lids but fails to have adjustable or moveable hooks and the hooks must work in concert with lid holders to suspend both pots and lids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,166 issued Dec. 22, 1987 to Hann and Fuller details a supporting rack for cooking utensils. The rack has a framed structure that supports several hooks along its framed perimeter. The rack was intended to hang from the kitchen ceiling or from another structure providing enough structural strength and area to hang the rack and the cookware hung by it. The hooks are only able to slide along the framed perimeter and are unable to pivot and rotate. This device was envisioned for use in an open area of the kitchen and not inside of a closed structure like a cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,127 issued Aug. 24, 1993 to Geller details a pan holder that is attached to the ceiling, stores pans in an overhead position near the end of a flexible cantilever beam which can be pulled down to allow easy removal of the pots and pans. The holder does not however allow for adjustable hooks whereby the hooks can be moved into different positions along the holder as well as not being able to pivot and rotate. The holder is to be used in the open kitchen area and not in a closed area such as a cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,191 issued Jul. 2, 1997 to Purnell also details a hanging rack for being suspended from the ceiling in the open kitchen area. The structure is complicated in construction that results in a large, heavy, and expensive device for hanging cookware and utensils. The devices utilizes a plurality of bars from which it is to be hung from and hooks which are able to slide along the bars but unable to pivot and rotate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,875 issued December 1973 to Scholl details a suspended hanger for pots and pans from an overhead surface. The device utilizes a base member and a column and a hanger assembly secured to the lower end of the column that rotates around the column. The hanger would be unable to fit inside of a conventional kitchen cabinet, as it would require a large vertically symmetric area for operating the rotational hanger feature of the device. The individual hangers cannot be independently positioned in relation to the other hangers therefore the entire device must be rotated in order to reposition the cookware.
Another pot rack was U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,332 by Lambertson on Dec. 21, 1976 that details a horizontal rack member supporting hooks. Lambertson's patent unfortunately does not allow for rotating and pivoting hooks as well as the hooks positions are not intended to be adjusted along the length of the rack while cookware is in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,788,132 issued May 17, 1954 to Lewis describes an adjustable hanger for storm windows but also has other hanging applications. Lewis's hangers are individually adjustable in position along the assembly but the hooks cannot rotate or pivot to accommodate different hanging positions or ease in its use. The hooks themselves are described as flat and rectangular shaped which severely limits the types of objects that can be hung from the hooks.
Another method of cookware storage incorporates the use of pull out cabinet racks. U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,484 issued April 1968 to King details a pivoted rack for utensils and the like, which incorporates sheets of pegboard that can be swung outside of the cabinet storage space. Unfortunately this rack would not be functional in a cabinet that had a divider between the cabinet doors, and the hooks are only adjustable in which the positions the user had placed them prior to hanging utensils. The hanger is also cumbersome in construction and installation and is not adjustable in size therefore could not universally fit different sized cabinets.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,904 issued May 28, 1954 to Hansell also describes a pull out pan rack but unfortunately the product suffers from many of the same shortcomings as Kling's patent. Hansell's rack would slide in and out of the cabinet space, the rack itself constructed from pegboard or the like. The hanger is cumbersome in construction and installation and is not adjustable in size therefore could not universally fit different sized cabinets. The hooks are also only adjustable in which the positions the user had placed them prior to hanging utensils.
Another attempt to solve the kitchen cookware and utensil storage problem is the introduction of pull out hanging racks. U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,387 issued May 8, 2001 to Rose details an apparatus for supporting utensils. Rose's design allows for the rack to be pulled out of the cabinet from it's supporting base, which would be mounted inside of a cabinet. Rose's design unfortunately does not allow for adjustable hooks. Rose's hooks are fixed to one piece thus not allowing for independent positioning of the hooks as well as his hooks cannot rotate and pivot. Rose's design would make multiple cookware placement cumbersome since different pieces of cookware have different dimensions and would require different hook interval positions for each piece of cookware. Rose's sound accentuating feature would also make hanging and retrieving cookware less convenient since each one would be between adjacent cookware and thus become an obstacle to one using Rose's device.
Another pull out hanging rack was U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,595 by Geller on Dec. 20, 2005. Geller's patent unfortunately suffers from some of the same shortcomings as Rose's patent in that the hooks remain stationary and therefore does not allow the assembly to fully accommodate the user's need in storing and retrieving cookware. Geller's and Rose's assemblies would also require a cabinet space which is deep in length from front to back to accommodate a pull out rack of this nature, something rarely seen in any kitchen as most cabinets are wider than they are long.
Another method of storing cookware in a cabinet is the use of wire storage racks inside of the cabinet. U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,479 issued to Morgan on May 4, 2004 details a wire storage rack for pots and pans that can be mounted on a base. This style of storage device is unfortunately inconvenient in use since it requires the user to navigate the wires with cookware in it's storage in order to store the piece of cookware in hand. The device also uses the base of the cabinet instead of being able to hang from an overhead plane thus consuming the base of the cabinet's storage area while not offering more storage volume than a hanging device.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,104,409, 7,121,413, and 7,007,808 all detail wire storage racks of much the same configuration as Morgan's patent, and all unfortunately all suffer from the same short comings as Morgan's patent as they are all complicated in construction and use.